The user's interaction with smart devices has exponentially increased along the years. The use of the Internet few years ago were just done by computers, but now the trend is all devices becoming “smart” with the interaction of the users and things (devices, smart devices, services, etc.) over the internet, more known as IoT or “Internet of Things” (i.e., an interconnection of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing internet infrastructure).
Nowadays, the communication between people or groups is done specially by smart devices (in this case, smartphones). Normally, there is a contact list on the smart devices where each contact is equal, without any distinction of people (despite it might be possible to create groups of contacts—e.g.: “family”, “friends”, “work”, etc.—there is not a way to differentiate contacts by affection level, intimacy, familiarity, and so on). Additionally, there are objects around the life of people that express feelings by loved person, or make them remember a special moment, such as a portrait with picture, a special gift, etc. It is a fact that the feelings are different referring to each individual. Having that in mind, there is a big opportunity and motivation to the present invention: “Why not connect beloved people through special objects that transmit to the user a certain kind of unique and distinct feeling?”
An object (such as a portrait or a special gift) can provide important information about people or system, and this information can provide to the user an automatic connection through the behavior of the users with these objects.
Patent document WO 2014016609 A1 titled “Jewellery with Tag”, published on Jan. 30, 2014, describes an invention that relates to a piece of jewellery, wherein the jewellery comprises at least one tag or chip programmed with at least an unique identification code, and a tag reader is configured to read the tag or chip when the tag reader and the piece of jewellery are in touch, or come into close contact and, to display a message or content associated with the unique identification code.
The patent document WO 2014016609 A1 is related to jewellery, which contains a tag with information and an identification code. Since there is a tag reader, in this case RFID or NFC, the reader (that contains a display) shows the message stored in the tag. The present invention differs from document WO 2014016609 A1, since the act of reading the jewellery tag without the user interaction does not trigger a communication with others users.
Patent document WO 2013001141 A1 titled “Method and Apparatus for Sensory Tags Providing Sound, Smell and Haptic Feedback”, published on Jan. 3, 2013, describes systems and methods for creating “feelings” from tangible objects in a responsive and cost efficient manner. In accordance with such systems and methods, near field communication (NFC) tags are embedded into tangible objects, e.g., compact discs (CDs), books, posters, etc., where the NFC tags include feeling/sensory feedback parameters associated with the object in which the NFC tag is embedded. That is, such NFC tags are able to stimulate one or more senses, such as the human senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Thus, sensory feedback is provided via tangible objects, where only minimal cost (e.g., a few cents) is added to the production/manufacture of such objects.
Patent document WO 2013001141 A1 is related to the feedback of the user feels through a tag attached in objects. The type of these feedbacks are haptics feedbacks where the user feels feedbacks of sound, smell, vibrations and others human senses. In this case, this recognition of the input for the feedback is done by NFC proximity. The present invention differs from document WO 2013001141 A1 since it is not used to (automatically) start a communication with users, but only to transmit haptics feedbacks through a tag reader, via NFC recognition.
Patent document WO 2014109710 A1 titled “A Distributed Wireless Sensing System”, published on Jul. 17, 2014, describes a device comprising: at least one input sensor, at least one output transducer, a wireless communication module and a processor configured to receive a local control parameter from the input sensor or a remote control parameter from a remote module communicating with the processor via the wireless communication module, and selecting one of a plurality of operational configurations depending on the local and remote control parameters, each of the plurality of operational configurations including a predetermined threshold for a sensing parameter received from the input sensor, and an output response if the sensing parameter breaches the threshold.
The purpose of the solution present in document WO 2014109710 A1 is different from the method of the present invention. In the document WO 2014109710 context, when the device is shaken or pressed, it is trigged to detect and monitor objects. This monitoring includes sounds, positions, etc. Therefore, the matter of document WO 2014109710 A1 is completely different from the method of the present invention, which the main goal is to trigger (automatic) communication between a first user and a target user or device, once the said first user interacts with a specific object that implements the method of the present invention.
Patent document US 20090191531 A1 titled “Method and Apparatus for Integrating Audio and/or Video With a Book”, published on Jul. 30, 2009, describes a method and apparatus for synchronization of sensory stimulation with the reading experience. In a specific embodiment, audio and/or video stimulation can be provided to a reader. In additional embodiments, the sensory stimulation can include touch, smell and/or taste. The reading experience can include, for example, the reading of books, magazines, textbooks, telephone directories, maps, resumes, brochures, newspapers or other forms of written or printed materials, which can include, but are not limited to, words, photographs, illustrations, drawings, cartoons and Braille. The synchronization of sensory stimulation with the reading experience can involve providing sensory stimulation in relation to a reader's location or approximate location with respect to written or printed materials. In addition to sensory stimulation, other forms of interaction can be provided, such as interactive games, or interactive tests. A specific embodiment relates to a method and apparatus for synchronizing audio and/or video to a book as it is read.
Document US 2009191531 A1 is related with the experience of the user on the act of reading a page book. Through a tag, in this case NFC tag, there is a stimulation of the user when the page is read, transmitting feelings, smells, sound, etc. A device reads the tag. This solution brings to the user stimulus of reading with possible real sensation. The present invention differs from this document since in this document US 2009191531 there is no recognition and communication between users triggered by interaction of users with objects, as it occurs in the present invention.
Patent document US 20130207778 A1 titled: “Accessory for a Mobile Device”, published on Aug. 15, 2013, describes a mobile device, which includes an accessory. The accessory may include two communication modules. The accessory is configured to receive data from the mobile device wirelessly. The accessory is configured to store the data. The accessory is configured to transmit at least a portion of the data to a reader device.
The method of document US 20130207778 proposes an accessory coupled to a mobile phone that communicates via Bluetooth. The accessory is able to read information from NFC tag and since established the connection via Bluetooth with the mobile phone, this information is transferred. This concept of communication differs from the proposed method of the present invention, because there is no interaction of the user with an object to be recognized. Additionally, the solution of document US 20130207778 A1 requires an accessory coupled to a mobile phone, but in the present invention, it is not necessary the use of an accessory coupled to the mobile phone.
Nowadays, there are products that allow the extraction of information through an object (e.g. a near field communication (NFC) tag), which is read by smartphones to start a communication between users or things. However, none of these products can provide a connection through the interaction of users with objects (e.g., a touch, a gesture, an approaching device, and so on), wherein this interaction might be identified (e.g., by a special wearable device, by image recognition with cameras installed in a room) and then, once identified, this interaction starts a digital communication without the necessity of the user handling the smartphone (or another similar smart device).